Tears of love
by GothicAvril
Summary: When Lily Evans returns to Hogwarts for her final year, James Potter doesn't seem quite as unbearable as usual............. LEXJP
1. Chapter 1

Tears of love

Privet drive seemed to be basking in its own heat, the sun shone relentlessly down on the neat bordered lawns, with cars, (each trying to be flashier than the other) now hot and dusty.

Almost no noise was coming from the sleepy occupants and their pets. However, the silence was soon shattered by a bloodcurdling shriek from number four. A strangely acrid smoky smell could be smelt coming from the neat tidy dry backyard,

at least it was neat and tidy until a huge great bonfire was lit in the middle of it.

a ginger cat lazily watched from the patio, where he lay curled on a deckchair overlooking the garden, a sparrow twittered from the branch of the only tree on the garden a huge sweeping oak, watching with minimal interest, the familiar sight of two girls having a catfight.

"I hate you Petunia!" sobbed lily Evans, in rage, punching every bit of her bony horse-faced sister that she could reach. Her long intensely red hair swung over the charred remains of six years of work, every spell book, piece of parchment, or essay was gone.

"That should teach you not to mess with my boyfriend" Petunia spat, just then, Lily managed to throw her to the ground. Unfortunately on top of the remains of the fire, it did not take long for petunias fine dry brown hair to set alight. Smugly, lily went inside.

Petunia had been treating Lily badly all summer, though this was the worst thing she had done yet.

It really wasn't Lily's fault this, she had simply been walking downstairs, when her school trunk, balanced precariously at the top of the stairs, had chosen this particular time to fall down them. In the process, knocking Lily into (or onto) her sisters overweight boyfriend, Vernon. Petunia had come in, grasped completely the wrong idea, and thought Lily was after her boyfriend.

The truth couldn't be further; Lily found him a disgusting fat boring blob.

Her rage returning, Lily stormed up to her room, grabbing a piece of paper, scribbled a note to her best friend Madison.

_Maddy,_

_Guess what? That bitch that I am forced to live with, today burned every scrap of work that I have ever done in my whole time at Hogwarts!!_

_I have to head to diagon alley tonight, could you meet me at the Hogwarts express early tomorrow?_

_Thanx, Lily _

_Xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox_

Her beautiful tawny owl, Rowena, named after Rowena Ravenclaw, calmly stuck out her leg, oblivious to her mistresses' anger.

After attaching the letter to his leg,

Lily changed into a green sweatshirt that matched her stunning emerald eyes, and a casual pair of jeans to accentuate her slim long legs. She then headed down to floo to diagon alley, from her light airy study.

So lily was very surprised when a person burst out of the fireplace. A certain person, who had a messy crop of black hair, tanned skin, and hazel eyes.

He was also one of the most (if not the most) good-looking boys a Hogwarts.

James Potter burst out of the fireplace, to land on Lilly, Lilly shrieked for the second time that day. James couldn't talk because his head was buried in her shoulder. Not that he minded. With difficulty, Lily threw him off. "Whoa Lily" James exclaimed, "you're strong!", "maybe you should try out for the Quiddich team".

"What the bloody hell are you doing in my house Potter"? Lily yelled.

James looked slightly embarrassed. Here he was, with his thousands of reasons for wanting to see Lily, and he had to give the one reason that was boring! "Well uh, youknowhowyouareheadgirl,welliamheadboyandwehavetogetspecialbooksfromdiagonalleysodumbledoreaskedmetopickyouup, "what" said Lily, "slow down!"

"well your head girl, obviously, and uh, Dumbledore made me head boy, so we have to go to diagon alley to pick up a load of stuff that he told me to get" "hang on, I've got a list"

James rummaged around in his pocket, producing a crumpled piece of paper, it read.

_**Books for the Seventh year "after school" lessons**_

_What job? By Geraldine Huntley_

_When the rent gets on top, by Angus Knight_

_Cross blood marriages for dummies. By Drew Tatchwell_

_Integrating with muggles, the right way. By Vera Young_

"_Marriage realistic" spells, Wendy Park_

_Also_

_Could you please pick up some lemon drops for me? I seem to have run out._

_Albus Dumbledore_

Lily shook her head disbelievingly, "that guy is wacked" she muttered. "And anyway, WHY THE HELL ARE YOU HEADBOY!!" James smirked. "Because I am OBVIOUSLY the best person for the job of course". Lilly groaned, as James said chirpily, "See, you have to go" Lily sighed, and picking up her bag, stepped into the dusty marble fireplace.


	2. A dark alleyway

Lily was confused, she had been walking around with James, through the cobbled crowded streets of diagon alley, and thy had ev

Lily was confused, she had been walking around with James, through the cobbled crowded streets of diagon alley, and thy had every thing that they needed, when she had gotten separated from him in the apothecary, lost among the row of shelves and unable to see jams, she assumed that he had left and upon leaving, the doors had clanged shut and locked behind her.

It was starting to get dark. Lily had never told anyone this, (except her sister when she was younger) but she was afraid of the dark, and especially when she was alone, like now.

She began to run, blindly trying to get back to the comfort of a close human voice. She tripped, and went sprawling on the ground. Tears came to her eyes, and she curled up in a ball, shaking in the cold damp alley with slimy walls.

Suddenly a masked figure appeared a few metres down. She tried to scream but a warm hand covered her mouth, pulling her into a corner and throwing some kind of cloak over her.

The figure spoke into the air;

"lord, the plan is in place, Hogwarts will fall, and the map will be destroyed"

"show me the map" the voice hissed in a hoarse tone. The first person pulled a piece of ancient parchment from beneath his robes then. To her surprise, beside her, her rescuer whispered _accio parchment, _the sheet soared gracefully over to the persons hand and he tucked it in his robes.

The man turned, with a shriek of rage

Whereupon, seeing nothing, he began firing curses everywhere.

The person took lily by the hand and sprinted out of the alley.

"Run Lily" he cried. Only then, did she realize that it was James.


	3. oh oh, petunias on the warpath

"Lily

"Lily!" Petunias shriek echoed around the house, waking majority of its occupants.

Lily yawned, and stretched cat-like, in her warm nest of blankets. Suddenly a deluge of icy water drenched her, soaking instantly through her fleece pajamas, waking her faster than a shot of adrenaline.

Petunia stood over the bed with a triumphant expression on her horsy face, a bucket clenched in her bony fingers. Lily squinted against the bright September sunshine, and then was snapped back to reality as Petunia began spitting angry words at her once more.

"-leaving their disgusting foul little feathers around the kitchen! Shouldn't be surprised if there are droppings when I get back". From this, Lily gathered that a pair of owls had arrived early for her. Before she could say a word, petunia had flounced off. With the parting words; "not that you would care about those filthy unhygienic birds. You probably sleep with them at your freaky little pathetic school" the last words were spat out so violently that Lily vowed to set Rowena loose in Petunias room as soon as possible.

Slouching grumpily downstairs, (Lily was never a mornings person) Lily finally realized what petunia was _so _mad about; she had been enraged ever since what the family liked to call, the great hare fight. Needless to say, Petunia and Lily were not amused by their father's hopeless attempt at humor (as he remarked "geddit Girls? Ha ha. Hare, _hair_")

Petunias fury was aroused when Lily frankly refused to grow back her lost hair. This further incensed her, as Lily pointed out that it had been Petunias own fault, for burning all Lily's books.

Petunia now resembled an overdressed scarecrow.

Cursing petunia, lily stepped into the light airy kitchen, her mother was standing by the stove, cooking breakfast.

"All ready and bright and early for school then dear?" she asked. Lily froze; she had completely and utterly forgotten that this was not simply another day in the school holidays.

It was the day she was to return to Hogwarts. She was to enter another year f magic and fun with her friends. This reminded her, "mum, Petty- sorry, _Petunia_ said that some owls had arrived for me?"

Her mother indicated out the window, already turning back to the stove.

Contrary to Petunias little speech that morning, there were two feathers littering the windowsill beside Rowena, and a beautiful owl that Lily identified as belonging to her friend Ciara.

Ciara was an honest to goodness wild child, driving most of the girls to distraction. She was a Spanish Latina girl, with long wavy dark hair.

Despite her maddening ways, she and Lily were extremely close.

She had written;

_Lilz hun,_

_Howzit goin?, listen, you know me, im probly gonna be really late for the stupid train today (it is today isn't it?) anyway, can you save me a seat next to that Sirius Black? Pleeeze, he is sooooooooo cute._

_Luv, the one, the only, _

_CIARA_

Lily laughed quietly to herself, as she wondered if Ciara had finally met her match with Black. Though it was extremely unlikely, Ciara had never been known to go out with a boy for longer than a week.

The next letter was from Madison, short, blond and gorgeous, she was extremely shy, but fun and an excellent friend and she was also rather mischievous.

_Dear Lily,_

_What a sad thing to do! Your sister seems a bit mean to me._

_Do you think we could share a carriage on the train today?_

_I expect you aren't even awake when you read this though! I know you!_

_Love, Maddy_

The letters from her friends had sent a warm glow up through Lily, and she eagerly got dressed, and then ate her breakfast as quickly as she could.

Her mother smiled at her from over her morning newspaper, sitting at the large kitchen table. Lily hugged her fondly, and then headed outside, where her father sat waiting in the car.


	4. aww, Jamsie got rejectedAGAIN!

Excited cries rang out across the noisy crowded station

Excited cries rang out across the noisy crowded station. Owls hooted indignantly, first years said solemn goodbyes to parents and siblings, while older students chattered excitedly to friends they had not seen for months. A scarlet train stood smartly on the tracks, and steam billowed from its elegant black funnel. A nearby family, just arriving through the seemingly solid, red brick wall. Were engulfed in this, when a sudden gust of wind, swept across the platform. Overlooking the proceedings from high up on the wall was a sign. It read; platform 9¾.

The atmosphere was lively and friendly, as Lily Evans emerged through the barrier. She was immediately surrounded by her friends, and barely had time to register Ciara running towards her, before she was swept up in an exuberant hug!

Lily laughingly began exchanging news, and talking away, her green eyes flashed in the morning sun, while her red hair swirled loosely around her shoulders.

And a certain boy walking down the platform with his smart new trunk thought that she had never looked more beautiful. James Potters walked by Lily and her group of friends, slowing down, almost to a standstill, as he passed close as he dared to her.

Just then, the shrill whine of the whistle rang out, sending students scurrying swiftly for the train doors.

James timed his arrival at the compartment door perfectly, at precisely the same time as Lily, then cockily made a mock bow to her; "you first" he smirked.

Lily glared at his arrogant face in disgust, and then swept past him, not even deigning to look at him.

As the doors slammed, and the train began to move, James let out a groan. He had utterly forgotten his resolution to be much more mature around Lily, and make her see what a freat guy he was.

Sweeping his dark hair out of his hazel eyes, he sighed, then walked unsteadily through the swiftly gathering speed train.


	5. truth or dare anyone?

As the train went over a rickety bridge, with a glimpse of the sea, faraway in the distance, Birds erupted from the thickly ga

**Chapter 5: truth or dare any one?**

As the train went over a rickety bridge, with a glimpse of the sea, faraway in the distance, Birds erupted from the thickly gathered heather.

They called warnings out to each other, and rabbits hidden in the heather, scampered away in fright.

The beautiful Scottish scenery flashed past, with rural farms, and fields giving way to rugged hills, and wild glens.

The scarlet train engine was seen only for a second, as it flashed past, leaving nothing but a trail of steam, to commemorate its passage through the rocky valleys, and over the steep green hills.

So the train thundered on towards its far off destination.

Lily hauled her trunk along the swaying train, effectively blocking up the narrow hall.

As she glanced left and right, she caught a glimpse of her friends frantically motioning to her to join them, from a compartment to the left of her.

As she excitedly pulled open the slightly stiff door, she stubbed her toe painfully on the vibrating wall of the compartment.

Wincing, she hopped painfully on the spot, and dropped her trunk where it lay.

"My my, you look like you could do with a hand m'dear"

The speaker, a handsome boy, leaning casually against the wall smiled at her, out of wicked eyes.

Lily groaned.

Just her luck, to have a run in with a marauder, before the term had even started properly, and what's more, it had to be one of the chief marauders.

Scowling, lily turned to face him, then sighed resignedly, composed herself, and smiled.

"Sirius, why aren't you off tormenting innocent people with your pranking friends?"

Sirius Black bowed charmingly; "why I simply came to assist my darling Lilykins" he smirked.

Lily laughed, tossing her red hair out of her smiling green eyes.

"Alright, if you are really so desperate to help, you can deal with my trunk"

In the mean time, Lily's friends were peering out of the compartment, wondering what was going on.

Ciara, catching sight of Sirius, squealed in excitement, and whipped her dark head out of sight.

Lily could hear them, talking excitedly, chattering eagerly away, and wanted to join them, so she charged Sirius to lift her extremely heavy trunk onto the groaning luggage rack.

Before she had done so much as to put one leather clad foot inside the door, her friends yanked her inside, and slammed it behind her

Lily collapsed onto the seat as the Hogwarts Express slowly gained speed.

She was finally on her way home.

Mary, lily's other good friend, smiled at her in greeting, from the corner, where she was writing.

Before she had even had a chance to breathe though, Ciara (already bouncing up and down on her seat with excitement that probably had something to do with the early arrival of the sweets trolley) had crawled eagerly over to lily, and was telling her

A. how lucky she was to have Sirius Black actually talk to her,

And B. quizzing her on the slightest little thing he might have possibly said in every tiny little conversation lily had had with him since the start of their first year.

Behind them, Mary and Madison rocked with silent laughter, holding their sides as lily made 'save me' gestures frantically.

It was an understatement to say that lily was relieved, when the door opened, breaking off Ciara's love struck train of speech.

But from the awestruck and admiring looks on the faces of her companions, even with her back to the door, lily could irritably guess who was standing there.

"Well would you look at that, it's our women!"

The speaker glanced over his shoulder, as he entered the room, motioning for a sheepish Sirius to follow him in.

James potter gave lily a winning smile, a smile guaranteed to make any girl swoon over him.

Any girl but lily Evans.

Lily let out an audible growl, and turned to face the wall, completely ignoring the new arrivals.

There was Sirius, tall and handsome, with wavy dark hair, and twinkling eyes, wearing a tight white muggle t-shirt and a pair of faded blue jeans. All of these garments accentuated his magnificent physique, much to Ciaras nervous delight.

Then there was Peter. Peter Pettigrew, short and slightly plump, with a thin pointed face, and a head of wispy, mousey hair. He glanced around anxiously, before quickly sitting down.

Remus Lupin was not quite as tall as the two ringleaders of the group, but he was just as good looking, if not in such an obvious way, with his spiked blond hair, and stormy grey eyes. He smiled at lily, and she smiled back. She and Remus had always got on well.

And then last, and (in lily's opinion) certainly least; James Potter. Running a hand through his messy jet black hair, and smiling what could only be described as an impish grin, his bright hazel eyes swept across the room, to land on lily.

James made sure that he had a seat right where he wanted to be; next to lily.

The other marauders filed in, slightly crowding the small compartment. Lily had turned her back on the proceedings, so it was a slightly crestfallen, but elastic as ever James, who declared; "we are now going to have a grand game of _truth or dare!"_

The majority of the group (Sirius, Ciara, Maddy and Peter) had been raised in wizarding families, and looked nonplussed. Lily groaned, while Mary looked delighted, and twisted a strand of her dark blond hair around her finger.

Remus explained; "say that James starts ok. What he would do, is pick any of you, like Lily for instance, and then he would ask her, truth or dare? You lily, would choose one, and then if you picked truth, he could ask you any question, and you would have to answer it truthfully, and if you picked dare, he would choose any dare, and you would have to do it"

The others quickly agreed, thinking that it sounded a fun way to pass the time.

Remus started, "Sirius, truth or dare?"

A grin that could only be described as gleeful passed across Sirius's handsome face.

"DARE!" he declared happily.

Remus considered his options, his young face thoughtful, and plotting. Then he straightened up with a triumphant look. "Sirius, I dare you to not kiss a single girl for 24 hours"

"WHAT!!"

Sirius's howl echoed around the whole of the long narrow train, bringing many curious people to their compartment doors, wondering what was going on.

The marauders and girls stared at Sirius with delight, and even lily allowed a brief amused smile to play about her lips.

Sirius however, had eyes for no-one but Remus, at whom he was now mouthing soundlessly. It was clear that, as far as he was concerned, that dare was way below the belt.

After the initial shock had worn off, the game continued;

"Madison, truth or dare?"

"Truth"

"Peter, truth or dare?"

"Truth"

"Remus, truth or dare?"

"Dare"

"James, truth or dare?"

"Truth"

"Truth or dare……lily?"

Lily could feel every eye in the compartment on her, and sighed, it was clear that she had no choice but to play, despite herself, she was actually starting to have fun, so she raised her eyes to the heavens and muttered

"Dare"

James smiled happily, "Lily, I dare you to…………….


	6. Sirius is gay?

**ARGH PLEASE DON'T KILL ME!!! Yes I am aware of the fact I have not updated in, what is it? A year? Unfortunately my beloved parents thought now would be a good time to move from New Zealand to England. So I have been kinda busy… **

**Anyway I'm back now!**

The minute the word 'dare' left her mouth Lily wished she could take it back. The look of triumph on James's absurdly handsome face was so nauseatingly smug she wanted to slap him. The eager atmosphere of anticipation in the room was palpable, and Lily groaned inwardly. She knew that, given half a chance, there was only one dare Mr James Potter Jr would give her

"Lily I dare you to kiss…"

Lily sighed. Even hoping as hard as she could didn't seem to have dislodged James's one track mind.

".. Ciara!" He proclaimed his eyes were dancing with mirth and he was smirking so hard lily was surprised his face didn't split. But only a small part of her brain registered this. The rest of her mind was focused on a single word.

WHAT!?!?

James Potter had willingly given up a chance where it would be perfectly acceptable for him to kiss her, date her, or, if his repulsive mind was really that crude (although truth be told perhaps it _was_ more Sirius's track) bed her.

Not that she would have ever done any of those things.

Particularly the last. Even if she wanted to (which she most certainly did NOT!) She was only 17 for goodness sakes.

"God" Lily groaned putting her head in her hands. It had just occurred to her that she was presently going to be expected to kiss her best friend. Said best friend who was now staring a James with a mixture of incredulance, horror and something Lily could not identify.

It hurt her more than a little though, to see Ciara so apparently disgusted by the idea of a simple kiss between friends…

Lily was interrupted from her confused and growing steadily more so train of thought by the above mentioned absurdly handsome incredibly gorgeous king of Hogwarts. Funny how a simple word like "So?" could turn her perfect day upside down. And worse still, she didn't even know why she was feeling... Dare she say it? Disappointed.

"Hello? Ladies? Did I miss something here?" Sirius, incorrigible as ever was gazing back and forth between Lily and Ciara with an expression of puppyish delight on his child-like face.

"Does this mean I can come out now?"

Remus shook his head slowly, an amused yet exasperated grin tugging at his lips.

"No Sirius" he said patiently, as if explaining that one plus one equalled two to an over emotional toddler.

"Lily and Ciara aren't gay, but of course you know you can come out to us anytime. We are your friends and we won't persecute you for your personal orientation."

The pout on Sirius's face was enough to send the girls into hysterics, and Ciara couldn't help wondering how she could ever have thought Sirius Black aloof and unapproachable.

Lily was splitting her sides laughing, mostly at the idea of Sirius, womanizing flirting impregnating (not to mention irresponsible when it came to providing for his unwanted offspring) Sirius could ever be gay. Not possible.

When they had regained their breath, Lily leaned over and gently kissed Ciara on the edge of her lips. She smiled at her, and watched, in astonishment, as Ciara, the girl who famously lost her virginity in first year to a fifteen year old Ravenclaw, blushed.

"SO" Sirius declared loudly, "this is getting boring! I DARE REMUS TO ASK OUT A GIRL!!!!!"

Lily turned to James while the others were caught up in the latest antics of Sirius and co. "Why?" She asked softly.

If she had been hoping for a mature answer she was to be sadly disappointed.

He turned around to face her fully and for a moment she really thought he was going to answer her, and then a big grin split his face.

"I figured after this many years there could only be one reason you would insist on rejecting me and stabbing my heart with an ice cold knife time after time" he proclaimed, flourishing dramatically.

"LESBIAN!!!" he burst out laughing and doubled over next to her.

Lily felt fury rising in her, for a second she had truly thought there might be more to James Potter than she had seen over the past six years. Obviously, she was wrong.

Turning around she screamed at him "for god's sake James! You're pathetic! You don't know how to take it when a girl rejects you, you cant accept that it might be something to do with you so you label her with the first thing you can find that lets you off the hook! I am SICK OF YOU!!!!"

"Ooooooh she got you there Jamey boy!" Sirius chuckled.

Lily turned the full force of her glare on him and he quailed. Deciding he was a waste of her time, she stormed out of the compartment, slamming the door behind her and ignoring the babble of noise that rose the second she exited.

James sat in the seat next to the one lily had so recently vacated and cursed himself inside. He had tried, and all he had succeeded in doing was making Lily hate him even more.


End file.
